242 new jobs were created across South Dublin in 2021 by 260 small businesses supported by the Local Enterprise Office (LEO), a Dublin Mid West TD has said. An Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar TD, announced the annual results of the LEOs for 2021 which showed that LEO supported companies created 7,440 jobs around the country in 2021.
Deputy Higgins said, “242 new jobs were created last year in South Dublin, while the net jobs created by LEO supported clients across the county last year was 37. “During a very difficult year for many small businesses, this is hugely positive news for Dublin Mid West and highlights the determination and hard work of our local business owners and workers across in the constituency. “A total of 1,345 people employed in small businesses across South Dublin benefited from LEO support over the past year.
“With a total of 260 clients, the South Dublin LEO provides vital support to many of our local businesses, offering advice, mentoring and training, and providing much needed financial backing with programmes such as the Trading Online Voucher, Lean for Micro and Green for Micro,” added Deputy Higgins. “This support proved particularly valuable over the past almost two years as many businesses were forced to pivot their offerings online or adapt their services to make it through the pandemic. I want to pay tribute to these local businesses which have persevered through some of the most difficult times and continued to provide jobs and contribute to our local economy and community,” said Deputy Higgins.
The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar TD said, “Over 35,000 people employed in small businesses around the country have been helped in some way by our Local Enterprise Offices. They are at the heart of communities in every county, and have proved invaluable throughout the pandemic, during which I know a huge amount of people relied on their local office. “Last year, businesses supported by LEOs created nearly 3,000 net new jobs, which is remarkable given the year we just had. I’m really pleased to see that 85% of these jobs were outside of Dublin, indicating the Government’s focus on balanced regional development is working.
“These numbers a real boost and will contribute to our overall target of having 2.5m people in work by 2024. Thank you to all our LEO staff for your phenomenal work over the past year,” the Tánaiste concluded.
